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Seth Weintraub

Apple versus Google

Apple seems to be moving towards yearly hardware updates

13 comments

TAGS:Apple, cycle, hardware, updates
IT TOPICS:Desktops & Servers, Hardware, Laptops & Netbooks, Macintosh & Apple, Mobile & Wireless, Personal Technology

It is looking more and more like Apple is getting set to launch a desktop refresh in the coming months. While I have very little idea exactly what will get updated, it seems with today's EOL'ing of the 20-inch Cinema Display and the fact that their desktops (Mac Mini and Mac Pro) haven't been updated in 14 (!!) months. Their all-in-one desktop, the iMac, hasn't been updated in 10 months. The Cinema Displays haven't been updated in almost two years! That is, unless you count the new 24-inch display that currently only works with MacBooks.

New Mac Pro concept by MacBlogz.

This is much longer than in years past. MacRumors keeps track of such things if you want to see the deceleration of launch dates. But I think there is a bigger reason for all of this:

I think that Apple is looking to move their update cycle to yearly updates across all of their lines. It looks like we'll probably see a desktop update in calendar Q1. Assuming that, this is what the yearly rollout schedule has been and looks to continue to be:

Q1: Desktops

Q2: (near WWDC) the iPhone has recently seen updates.

Q3: Has been all about iPods.

Q4: MacBooks.

This could account for the longer than normal wait times for new hardware products we've seen lately. Apple may be realigning its product matrix so that yearly roll outs are the norm.

This type of "seasonal" product refresh is the norm in the fashion industry or if you view each line separately, the yearly rollout is similar to the way cars are refreshed.

This might also account for Apple leaving the yearly Macworld event, stating that it didn't fit within its development plans.

Will you soon hear someone say they are looking forward to the new iPod fall colors? Ugh, I hope not.

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will they offer Blu-Ray and

Submitted by Anonymous on March 3, 2009 - 1:34 A.M.

will they offer Blu-Ray and full blu-ray movie playback???

really hope Apple stops its evil denial of consumers getting the option to get blu-ray on their macs.

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Do you think the processors, etc, will remain the same?

Submitted by Chris Maxcer on February 26, 2009 - 11:57 P.M.

I can see a yearly cycle -- the iPhone, iPod, and MacBook make particular sense, yet with the convergence of features in the iPhone, the iPod line is going to have to grow into some new form factors (tablet? better gaming? something?). Once you have an iPhone, an iPod touch is a bit redundant. An iPod nano is handy, but a bit of a luxury unless you're working out often.

I think you're onto something, but I'm also wondering about netbooks, Apple TVs, etc, that might not fit the mold so well.

And then there's the question: will Apple ship new iMacs and then keep the processors, etc, memory the same for a year (Mac mini anyone?) or will Apple at least bump the processors and RAM every now and then in between? If Apple doesn't -- and Apple keeps its prices high -- might consumers not realize that, Oh, OK, I've got a four-month wait now . . . might as well not buy until the new models come out? Seems like Apple would be begging for a slow quarter under this model. I mean, will anyone reading this site buy an iPod in August or a MacBook in September? I sure won't.

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Snow Leopard OS X Release Complicates Things

Submitted by Setmose on February 24, 2009 - 10:15 A.M.

Apple is approaching two horizons at the same time right now. They want to do a new Mac Pro desktop. But they also have the new 64-bit multi-core virtualized OS X coming out (Grand Central and OpenCL). They want to do Xeon Nehalem which got delayed by Intel, and they are racing to finish and test the new OS X on the new platform. That's why the delays on iMac, Mac Pro, and mac Mini.

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Apple seems to be moving towards yearly hardware updates

Submitted by Dan on February 20, 2009 - 10:21 A.M.

I'm a PC guy, have been since 1994. But I want to switch, I like the software integration Apple offers. However I won’t switch unless Apple offers state of the art hardware. That means Blu-ray so I can create Discs from my HD home movies. Everyone I know owns a Blu-ray player, I don’t know anybody that owns an AppleTV. nor do I want to degrade my HD video and put it up on UTube. Blu-ray isn’t going away anytime soon. It will be with us for a decade or more.

When is the last time Apple updated the MacPro? When did Apple last update the iMac? Even the notebooks are getting long in the tooth. For a computer company this lag is shameful.

I can custom configure a nice Dell with a Blu-ray drive, 500GB 7200rpm hard drive, 4G of ram, RGB-LED 16" screen, HDMI and Display port outputs, VGA, flash card reader, express card, e-sata, ieee 1394, 2.93gh processor for $2,148.00. for $800.00 bucks I can upgrade to 8G of ram.

If Apple wants my hard earned money they have to offer up to date hardware.

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BTW the notebooks just got

Submitted by Subliminal Entity on February 25, 2009 - 8:25 P.M.

BTW the notebooks just got updated...if your gonna take the time to write a comment, take the time to know your information. Now you just look like your sofa king we todd it!

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BTW the notebooks just got updated

Submitted by Anonymous on February 28, 2009 - 1:44 P.M.

I know, my wife got one. The Dell has a better screen, bigger hard drive, support for more ram, a Blu-ray drive, HDMI and Display port connectors for less money. Apple needs to offer more options.

Remember when Apple allowed clones? When Jobs came back he ended that because the clone makers were selling more computers than Apple.
Now why was that? they probably offered more choice with a better price.

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BTW the notebooks just got updated

Submitted by Anonymous on February 28, 2009 - 1:44 P.M.

I know, my wife got one. The Dell has a better screen, bigger hard drive, support for more ram, a Blu-ray drive, HDMI and Display port connectors for less money. Apple needs to offer more options.

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Fine, if you don't mind Windows

Submitted by MarkGo on March 3, 2009 - 5:13 P.M.

It's not just about the hardware. If it was, the iPod would have been the failure that analysts predicted it would be.

Apple offers a pretty reasonable machine for the money. You absolutely can get more hardware for less money on the Windows side (though the stories of Dell customer support would make me very leery of placing an order with them). People buy Apple because they don't want to fight with Vista UAC, and want a machine that comes with software that does what they want without crapware littering the drive.

I'd quibble with the "better screen" part. My MacBook Pro has gotten some envious comments from Dell owners on the train.

And from a historical perspective the clones were an unmitigated disaster.

--Mark

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BluRay

Submitted by Ray Blue on February 25, 2009 - 9:12 A.M.

You can install two Optical Drives.
What prevents you from installing one BluRay drive?

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Blu-ray

Submitted by Anonymous on February 28, 2009 - 1:55 P.M.

Dell offers a slot load Blu-ray drive for $50.00. that will play Blu-ray discs.

Who offers a Drive that will work in the new MacBook Pro?
Fast Mac has an external drive for $100.00. But you have to use Windows to play back discs because Apple does not support Blu-ray.

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